Players on the Olympic Experience
(09/19/2000; ITF's Tennis Gold Site)

Rainer Schuttler (GER) had a front row seat at the basketball when Team USA 
took on China. "It was too easy for the USA, but it was still an incredible 
experience," Schuttler said.

Juan Antonio Marin (CRC) witnessed his country's first and probably only 
medal in swimming (Claudia Poll) and he's going to cheer for her again 
tonight.

Patrick Rafter (AUS) on rooming with Lleyton Hewitt (AUS): "It's very 
amusing. Every night before we go to bed we have a videotape show. We tape 
each other and go through the summary of the day's events on how Australia 
went in the Olympics. We have a good time. He's a good little fellow."

On obtaining tickets to various events: "I am going through all sorts of 
contacts right now, starting to try and get friendly with some policemen. 
I'll probably see if I can take a tennis racquet along with me. Maybe I can 
barter a signed tennis racquet for a seat somewhere at the back!"

END--www.tennisgold.com/

13-Rafter (AUS) def. Spadea (USA) 6-4 6-3
Here are a few of Pat's stats:
1st Serve %: 69 // Aces: 3 // Service Winners: 15 // Double Faults: 1 // 1st 
Serve Winning %: 86 // 2nd Serve Winning %: 69 // Net Pts Winning %: 67 // 25 
Winners, 12 Unforced Errors 

Rafter beats Spadea at Olympics
By STEVEN WINE
The Associated Press 
Sep 18 2000 10:46PM

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - American Vince Spadea blew an overhead on set point, 
and that was the only break Australian Pat Rafter needed.
Rafter survived a tough first set Tuesday (Monday night EDT) in the opening 
round at the Olympics and delighted a partisan crowd by handing Spadea his 
latest loss in a miserable year, 6-4, 6-3.
Spadea, who made the Olympics only because three other Americans turned down 
a chance to play, fell to 2-25 this year. He hung with Rafter until losing 
his serve in the final game of the first set, hitting three errant volleys 
and then whacking an easy overhead two feet wide on set point.
Rafter, urged on by chants of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" from the center court 
crowd, dominated at the net with his typically acrobatic play. He won the 
first seven points of the second set and raced to a 3-0 lead as Spadea's 
frustration mounted.
After falling behind 5-2, Spadea slammed his racket to the court. Six points 
later, he was out of the Olympics.
END--The Associated Press. 

Rafter Advances
(09/19/2000; ITF's Tennis Gold Site)

Australia's Patrick Rafter starred in his Olympic Games debut performance 
today accounting for American Vince Spadea in straight sets (6/4 6/3).
The cheer for the local lad as he entered centre court was deafening and the 
parochial Australians vocally supported their hero at every opportunity 
throughout the match. 
It took Rafter just over one hour to claim victory. A break at 5-4 gave the 
duel US Open Champion the first set, and Spadea had a clumsy start to the 
second set dropping his first service game. 
That was the opening Rafter needed. "That atmosphere out there is electric," 
said Rafter who admitted to a bout of nerves going into today's match. "The 
pressure's there and I definitely felt it." 
Despite his opponent's evident losing streak - Spadea has only had two 
victories this year - Rafter did not take the match lightly. "Everyone you 
play here you feel as though you've got a 50/50 chance when you walk out on 
court," Rafter said. 
An obviously disappointed Spadea will now join teammate Todd Martin on the 
sideline. "It's a tough start," Spadea said. "I didn't break him the whole 
match and that was something that's disappointing given my return of serve is 
something I count on. He (Rafter) played a pretty sharp match."
Rafter will now meet Canadian Daniel Nestor in the second round. Nestor 
boasts a 2/1 lead over the Australian, but Rafter claimed the last victory at 
Indianapolis in 1999. 

END--www.tennisgold.com/





Rafter wins
19 September 2000 (Official Olympics Site)
Patrick RAFTER (AUS), defeated Vincent SPADEA (USA) 6-4 6-3 in 
front of a partisan centre court crowd. 
In a close first set, games went with serve, although RAFTER showed a slight 
edge with accurate volleying. At 5-4, RAFTER stepped up to serve for the 
first set, urged on with cheers of "Patrick, Patrick." At 30-30 SPADEA missed 
an easy volley, giving RAFTER his first set point, but the Australian was 
able to close out the set with his second set point and the crowd sang 
"Waltzing Matilda."
RAFTER then stepped up the pace and could do wrong, reaching 3-0 before 
SPADEA was on the board.
To loud cheers from the Australian fans, RAFTER hit a service winner on match 
point to win it in one hour 32 minutes.END

Rafter relieved after opening quest for gold
By Larry Fine

SYDNEY, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Patrick Rafter, for a number of reasons, was 
relieved to get past his first hurdle at the Sydney Olympics on Tuesday with 
a 6-4 6-3 victory over American Vince Spadea. 
First there were the butterflies he felt walking out on the Olympic Park 
centre court and hearing Waltzing Matilda bellowing out from the jam-packed, 
10,000-seat stadium. 
Then there was his opponent, the under-achieving Spadea, aching to turn his 
woeful season around against the hugely popular hometown favourite. 
``When you are out there playing you feel nervous, you are playing for your 
country and it's a little similar to a Davis Cup,'' said double U.S. Open 
champion Rafter. ``But it's a knock-out (format). You are not going to get 
another shot at proving yourself. 
``In Davis Cup you've got your mates to fall back on. But here it's just 
knock-out and the pressure is there, and I definitely felt it today.'' 
Rafter secured the first set with a service break in the 10th game before 
settling into a rhythm that brought the second set with more ease against the 
sputtering Spadea, who has won only two of 25 matches all year and was a late 
replacement for 1996 Olympic champion Andre Agassi. 
``He's only had two wins and I was always conscious that I didn't want to be 
number three,'' said Rafter. 
``I know that Vince is very talented and I do know that he can play some 
great tennis. But he really is struggling. It must be a mental thing.'' 
TIME OF HIS LIFE 
Rafter reckons he will get over his jittery feeling as the tournament 
progresses. In the meantime, he is having the time of his life living the 
Olympic dream in the Athletes Village and cheering on his fellow Aussies. 
``The village is great,'' said 27-year-old Rafter. ``All the Australians are 
very friendly. We are all really pretty close, and when we get together it's 
a good feeling.'' 
Rafter said he has been able to get to the swimming competition and watching 
countryman Ian Thorpe's triumph in the pool was a huge thrill. 
``The relay was probably the most incredible sporting event I've ever seen in 
my life.'' 
Rafter said carrying the Olympic torch past Sydney's famed Opera House on the 
eve of the Games was another unforgettable thrill. 
``Running with the torch brought out a lot of emotions,'' he said. ``Some 
people were crying and some of the athletes were very emotional about it. But 
for me it was just total excitement. I was sort of hugging and jumping up and 
down.'' 
Rafter said winning the tennis gold would be the biggest thrill of them all. 
``I can imagine it being an incredible experience,'' he said. ``It would be 
amazing.'' 
The dashing serve-and-volleyer hopes to get to more Olympic events, but, like 
just about everyone, is having to scramble for tickets. 
``I am going through all sorts of contacts right now, starting to try and get 
friendly with some policemen,'' he joked. ``I'll probably see if I can take a 
tennis racquet with along with me. Maybe I can barter a signed tennis racquet 
for a seat somewhere in the back.'' 

Aussie men make a show of unity
By Gary Stocks
8:50PM, Sep 19

Finally the Australian men's tennis team assembled as one. There was no hint 
that one was shunning another.

As Mark Philippoussis took centre stage late yesterday afternoon at the New 
South Wales Tennis Centre, he had company. Not just Thomas Johansson, the 
bloke on the other side of the net, but his teammates were there, too.

They might not have been within a decent lob of Philippoussis during the 
Scud's practice sessions but in the first tangible sign of team unity, they 
sat courtside and urged their teammate to victory.

With captain Tony Roche sat fellow singles combatants Lleyton Hewitt and Pat 
Rafter, who had earlier flown the flag successfully against American Vincent 
Spadea.

Even if the acrimony surrounding this team has not completely dissipated this 
was, at the very least, a public show of support for a fellow Australian. 
About the things on which this country's sporting success and its culture is 
built.

And when Philippoussis stepped up the tempo to claim the decisive first set, 
there was unbridled joy at his achievement.

Having recovered from 1-4 down in the tie-break to move to set point, Roche 
nervously tweaked the peak of his cap. And at the moment a Johansson forehand 
found the net, to give Scud the breaker eight points to six, all clapped 
enthusiastically.

Johansson, it seemed, would rue a forehand cross court that cannoned into the 
net when he, himself, had held set point.

After one man had survived a crisis and another agonised over a missed 
opportunity, Philippoussis galvanised his advantage with an early break in 
the second.

He was rarely in trouble and when he was the answer was simple. Boom! Ace.

He did that when a concentration lapse saw him taken to deuce when serving at 
4-3. Up to the line he stepped and two thunderbolts saw him one game from 
victory.

When he served for the match, he again displayed his wonderful service rhythm 
with four aces, the perfect game spoiled only by a double fault on match 
point when he tried to close it with another bullet.

Because of the disharmony that has engulfed this team, it will take time for 
the healing process to work. 

Time for the feelings of distrust and injustice to subside.

``As the days go on we are all getting along very well,'' Rafter said. 
``There's no problem there at all. There's no ill-feeling, I'm going out 
there to watch Mark now and we are very comfortable with each other.

``I was very confident that would happen once we all got to together because 
it's a great feeling in the village and it was just a matter of time before 
we broke everything down.

``We haven't really talked about it as yet but we are getting on very well. I 
really do hope that we will sit down and talk about the differences because 
Mark is a good kid and we all know that.

``I was just really looking forward to settling it.''

Philippoussis concurred with his compatriot - a rarity in these times.

``Everything's fine,'' he said. ``We're in the village, I'm rooming with 
[Mark] Woodforde, we're eating together, watching TV together and watching 
the other Australian athletes together. It's very relaxing.

``We're talking and congratulating each other after matches. Stuff like that. 
It's good.

``I'm here to represent my country. I'll go out and give it 110 per cent. 
That's all the fans can ask of me and all I can ask of myself.''

Rafter, who admitted to being nervous in this Games atmosphere, battled to 
beat Spadea although the American has won just two matches this year.

Short of his best form, Rafter still looked in control for the most part in a 
6-4 6-3 victory.

The first set was a tight battle before Rafter broke the American in the 10th 
game and then achieved an early break in the second. With a parochial and 
noisy home crowd behind him it was going to take more than Spadea could offer 
to prevent Rafter's advance to the second round.

There were times, particularly in the second set, when Rafter's serve-volley 
game was smooth and on song but his performance was a little spasmodic.

The first upset in the men's draw came when US Open semi-finalist Todd Martin 
was eclipsed by German Rainer Schuttler 6-2 6-0.

Martin struggled with his own game, could only admire his opponent's form and 
took a typically gracious 6-2 6-0. He offered no excuses when clearly he 
could have. But this is a man who can lose with dignity.

Trailing 2-5 in the first set, Martin required attention to his left wrist, 
returned to battle with the problem heavily strapped and did not win another 
game.

Martin has never been one to trivialise an opponent's performance and when 
quizzed about the injury, suggested it had in no way contributed to his 
demise.
Spadea Can't Catch Break
Struggling American is no match for Rafter.
By BILL DWYRE, Times Sports Editor

SYDNEY, Australia--The tennis gods continued to frown on poor Vince 
Australia's Patrick Rafter bends low for a volley during his straight-sets win over Vincent Spadea.
Associated Press
Spadea today on the first day of Olympic competition. In this, the winter of his discontent--as well as the summer, fall and spring--even the computers are out to get him.
The American player, whose ranking is rapidly slipping toward No. 200 in a year in which he has won only twice, got a shocking break when enough other U.S. men pulled out of the Olympics to allow Spadea a spot on the team. That was the good news.
The bad news was that the computer that did the draw for the Olympics matched him with Pat Rafter in the first round of the men's singles.
And so, there he was, 2-24 record and devoid of confidence as a result of that, on center court for the men's opener in a brand new stadium, filled with 10,000 Australians gushing with nationalism and in very good voice. The player across the way, Rafter, is not only a two-time U.S. Open champion, but is beloved here like the Pope is at the Vatican.
On his best day, Spadea had no chance, and this was far from his best day. Rafter took him out in a routine 6-4, 6-3 appearance that included some key missed overheads by Spadea and some pinpoint volleying by Rafter and generally served as a background for a couple of hours of Aussie adulation. The women swooned, the men chanted their "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" and all turned out perfectly for the locals down under.
For Spadea, a guy who must have walked under a bunch of ladders or followed a herd of black cats across a street, this had to feel like a setup, even though he said afterward, bravely: "It didn't feel that lonely out there . . . but, you know, that's the way it goes when you are playing a guy from Australia in Sydney."
Spadea was not expected to lead the decimated American men's team into the promised land here, but he also wasn't expected to have company in the loser's column the first day. But he did, when dependable Todd Martin wasn't. Martin lost a shocker to Germany's Rainer Shuttler, who has been around the tour for awhile but has yet to inspire comparisons to Boris Becker.
Martin lost in 63 minutes, 6-2, 6-0, and said afterward, "This is a pretty long way to come for 14 games."
END